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2. Erythroxylum moonii Hochr. in Bull. Inst. Bot. Buit. 22 : 54. 1905. (Fig. 190).<br />
ERYTHROXYLACEAE<br />
Erythroxylon acuminatum Walp.—Erythroxylon iucidum Moon—Sethia acuminata Arn.<br />
Sinh. Bata-kirilla; Tarn. Chiruchemannati, Chiruchenatti.<br />
A much branched, twiggy, glabrous shrub, with a pale bark; leaves simple, alternate<br />
with stipules, 3.7—7.5 cm long., 1.5—2.5 cm broad, linear—lanceolate to oval—lanceolate,<br />
acute or rounded at base, tapering, acuminate with obtuse apdx, glabrous and shining on both<br />
surfaces, lateral veins horizontal and faint; petioles 5 mm long, stipules caducous; flowers<br />
regular, bisexual, solitary, axillary, greenish yellow or white, about 9 mm across, pedicels longer<br />
than petioles; sepals 5, 1—1.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute, slightly connate at base; petals 5,<br />
distinct, imbricate, 3.5 mm long, spreading, oblong, obtuse with a large double, erect scale on<br />
the inner surface; stamens 10, filaments 2.5 mm long, connate into a tube; ovary superior,<br />
oblong, 1.4 mm long, 3-Iocular with one ovule in each loculus, styles 3, connate at base; fruit a<br />
scarlet drupe, 1.2—13 cm long, pointed, faintly grooved and shining with persistent calyx<br />
and stamens.<br />
Flowers from March to May.<br />
Illustration. Herb. Peradeniya., drawing.<br />
Distribution. Occurs in south India and Ceylon and perhaps in Borneo. It is rather<br />
common in the low-country in Ceylon. Ratnapura, Kuruwita Korale, Singha Raja Forest,<br />
Uma Oya, Nilgai a, Dambulla, Matara (Dick well a), etc.<br />
Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 222; Thwaites CP. 3488. Central Prov., Peradeniya, Bot. Gard.<br />
Jayaweera 1173, Sept. 1955; Jayaweera 2597, June 1957. Western Prov., Gampaha, Bot. Gard.<br />
Jayaweera 2223, Nov. 1955.<br />
Uses. The leaves given in various forms (the commonest being a bolus made by mixing<br />
the powdered dry leaves with rice flour and honey) are very effective anthelmintic for round<br />
worms.. Externally the bruised leaves in the form of a poultice hastens suppuration of boils and<br />
abscesses.<br />
189